olympian

chrism20

htb

Another point of view: it is entirely incorrect for the hotel to confirm in writing (modified reservation confirmation) that lounge access will be included, when they don't intend to give lounge access "because they don't need to". If I didn't know better about the incompetency of IHG's IT, I might even suspect a bait-and-switch approach by the hotel.

And you're still saying that the hotel did everything according to the book and the customer has no right to point out the obvious mistakes that were made?

HTB.

scubaccr

I have had top IHG statuses Plat (pre Jul2015), Spire (post Jul2015) and RA (on Ambassador for IC stays for some years)

I know as a regular IHGer staying in non-ICs with lounges that HI or CP hotel with lounge did not need provide lounge with an upgrade, and greatfully accepted upgrade without lounge as being what the @Rewards program simply is.

If a Gold with no upgrade benny applicable gets a room cat upgrade, (same as me as low status outside of IHG/IC/MR/HH hotels) then one doesdon't rock the boat, as then hotel will simply not give IHG Golds upgrades in future to avoid issue, or even possibly flag guestsacct as being xxxxx for whole chain to see.

No harm exclaiming at checkin if upgraded to club room at HI/CP brand, ... 'thx thats super, does that mean I can use the lounge ?' and acept the likely 'no' without pushing. (OP is saying booking is for HI ) .... hopefully club room is a meaningful better room , bigger etc, so a worthwhile upgrade even w/o lounge access.

If at IC booking, then hotel can point at the t+c's which is responsibility of the @Rewards member guest to be uptodate and aware of... that state no Lounge even if modded/upgraded room descr includes lounge.

Dave Noble

Bait and switch? really?

How is it bait and switch to book a basic room and then be given, for no charge, a room category higher than booked?

The only thing the hotel did wrong was to process an uprade for a guest in advance of arrival; seems that , to keep such guests happy, the thing to do is not give any upgrade since no good deed goes unpunished

htb

I new you would ask, so here we go:

There is always the risk that the customer will cancel the stay. By providing an upgrade (with lounge access), said customer will be less likely to cancel. On check-in they get the upgraded room (mostly a bathrobe) but no lounge access. Bait and switch.

But I've already stated that I would only think this way if I didn't know that IHG's IT department is completely incompetent. So what is your point?

HTB.

Eltham

htb

My request to you: before posting read the post you are replying to. Please. It makes discussions so much more productive.

HTB.

olympian

Agreed. If a hotel wants to place restrictions on complimentary upgrades then they can clearly do so, just like they can choose to give full benefits or even upgrade Gold members if they wish, and this is also even more reason why in the absence of any similar text in a room description it's quite reasonable to expect the room and associated benefits provided to be exactly as described.

So if you don't get everything provided - as may or may not be the case for the OP since they've still not come back to this forum to confirm what ultimately happened at their hotel - then I would agree with it being "bait and switch" if misleading statements are being made in your booking confirmation about what you're going to be getting.

Some posters seem to have completely missed the point here that it's not about whether the upgrade should have been made for the OP, or indeed when it was done, but that the reservation details as described in the room description associated with the reservation on the App might not subsequently be honoured at check-in.

Eltham